Delinker at 13:51, 31 July 2023

2023-07-31T13:51:31Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian Administrative Services officer.}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Avinash Dharmadhikari
| honorific-suffix = Ex-IAS Officer
| image = Avinash Dharmadhikari 2 by HARISH MANE.jpg
| caption = Avinash Dharmadhikari
| office = Founder, Director - Chanakya Mandal Pariwar
| primeminister = [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
| term = 2001
| office2 = Deputy secretary to the chief minister of [[Maharashtra]]
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| term2 = 1995–96
| birth_place = [[Kolhapur]], Maharashtra, India
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1959|08|02}}
| nationality = Indian
| education = Masters in Economics, Political Science, Sociology, M.Phil.
| alma_mater = [[University of Pune]]
| occupation = ex-[[IAS officer]], [[Educationist]], Social Activist, Journalist, Author
| spouse = Poorna Dharmadhikari
| children = 1 other
| residence = [[Pune]], Maharashtra, India
| awards =
| known for =
}}
'''Avinash Dharmadhikari''' is a former [[Indian Administrative Services]] officer.<ref name="MisraDhaka2001">{{cite book|first1=Suresh |last1=Misra|first2=Rajvir S. |last2=Dhaka|author3=Sustainable Development Foundation|title=Humanising development: trends in public administration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DyOKAAAAMAAJ|date=January 2001|publisher=Sustainable trends in public administration |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-81-900975-5-0}}</ref> He was a well known social activist and free-lance journalist before joining IAS.After serving on various posts during his administrative career of ten years he resigned from IAS in 1996 for the reason that can be best described in [[Arun Shourie]]'s words "to be able to serve Indian society better".<ref name="Shourie1997">{{cite book|author=Arun Shourie|title=Worshipping False Gods: Ambedkar, and the Facts which Have Been Erased|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UkFuAAAAMAAJ|year=1997|publisher=ASA Publications|isbn=978-81-900199-6-5}}</ref> He was Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister of [[Maharashtra]] at the time of his resignation.{{cite book|title=Frontline|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b59KAQAAIAAJ|date=April 1997|publisher=S. Rangarajan for Kasturi & Sons}}</ref> He is founder and director of Chanakya Mandal Pariwar, working in the field of Career Guidance and Personality Development. He unsuccessfully contested for [[Lok Sabha]] as an independent candidate against [[Suresh Kalmadi]].<ref>{{cite book|title=India Today International|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FhMwAQAAIAAJ|year=1998|publisher=Living Media India Ltd.}}</ref> He was [[Director General]] of Neharu Yuva Kendra Sangathan in 2001 under Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, [[Government of India]]. As a social activist he has been part of many movements such as farmers' movements and movements against corruption. He was also a part of [[Team Anna]] during India against corruption movement.<ref name="IndiaToday-20121215">{{cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/team-anna-gets-new-people.-but-will-their-gameplan-be-a-game-changer/1/229234.html|title=Team Anna gets new people. But will their gameplan be a game-changer?|last=Jayram|first=Rahul|date=15 December 2012|work=[[India Today]]|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref> He has been carrying out many study tours all over the world and attending many important International lconferences such as [[UNGA]], [[UNFCCC]] recently.
He has authored many books which includes ''Aswastha Dashakachi Diary, Nava Vijaypath, Ek Vijaypath, Swatantra Nagarik, Jinkanara Samaj Ghadawanari Shikshanpadhhati, Aani Aapan Saglech, Ratra Gahirichya Tisarya Prahari(a collection of poems) ''. Aswastha Dashakachi Diary has been translated into English by [[Gauri Deshpande]] titled: Diary of a Decade of Agony.<ref name="Varde1997">{{cite book|first1=Abhijit |last1=Varde|title=Daughters of Maharashtra: Portraits of Women who are Building Maharastra : Interviews and Photographs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YP4pAAAAYAAJ|year=1997|publisher=Kalnirnay}}</ref><ref name="IndiaToday-19951231">{{cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/book-review-a-dharmadhikari-diary-of-a-decade-of-agony/1/289817.html|title=Review: A. Dharmadhikari's 'Diary of a Decade of Agony'|last=Koppikar|first=Smriti|date=31 December 1995|work=India Today|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref>
Apart from being an Ex-IAS, Educationist, activist, Journalist and Author he has been widely admired as a great Orator. He is looked upon as an activist who has taken pledge & promotes youngsters to take pledge to become a devoted volunteer in serving India.

==Early life and education==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2020}}
Avinash Dharmadhikari was born in a [[Marathi people|Marathi]] family in [[Kolhapur]], Maharashtra on 2 August 1959. He spent his childhood in [[Kasba Peth]], [[Pune]]. He attended the [[Jnana Prabodhini Prashala]], [[Pune]] for his early and high school education.He received his bachelor's degree from Modern College, [[Pune]], an affiliate of Pune University. The mid 1970s was a tumultuous period in Indian history that saw high inflation, nationwide strikes, anti corruption movement led by [[JP Movement|Jayaprakash Narayan]], and the [[national emergency]] imposed by the then prime minister [[Indira Gandhi]] which curtailed [[civil liberties]]. Adhikari credits this period for inspiring him to become a political activist. He was driven by nationalist thoughts of [[Swami Vivekananda]], [[Mahatma Gandhi]] and [[Vinayak Damodar Savarkar]]. He got married with Poorna Dharmadhikari before joining Indian Administrative Services.

==Life before IAS==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2020}}
Dharmadhikari was a full-time social activist for ten years before joining IAS. He was also a free-lance journalist during the same period. He undertook extensive study tours of the country. The outcome was the book in Marathi called 'Aswastha Dashakachi Diary', ( Translated as "The diary of a decade of unrest) based on the reflections on experiences of these visits.

Before joining the highest Indian Civil Service i.e. IAS, Dharmadhikari was actively involved in solving Punjab Crisis along with his wife, Poorna Dharmadhikari between 1978 and 1986.The couple worked for national integration staying in Punjab right through the thick of [[Bhindranwale]] phase(1983 to 1985). They undertook extensive traveling on foot throughout Punjab, learnt Punjabi and [[Gurumukhi]] script, stayed in Gurudwaras and also at the Golden Temple.
Since then both of them have continued an active association with Punjab.

==Administrative career==
{{BLP sources|date=June 2020}}
In his administrative career he had been known for his efficient, transparent and creative work in [[Maharashtra]]. During these 10 years he had served on many posts such as – Sub-Divisional officer, Phaltan; Officer on Special Duty for state's Chief Secretary; Director, State Archives, [[Mumbai]]; CEO at [[Ratnagiri]] and [[Amravati|Amaravati]] zilla parishads; Additional Collector, [[Pune]];<ref>Gadam, S.N., 1994. Total literacy campaign of Pune district (rural): External evaluation report.[https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10973/13772/235844.pdf?sequence=2]</ref> [[Director (business)|Director]], Women and Child Welfare Dept, [[Maharashtra]]; District Collector, [[Raigad district|Raigad]] (Alibag); Deputy Secretary to [[Chief Minister]], Maharashtra.
While in service, initiated many experiments in responsive administration: Field level functioning of government machinery to reorient the operations and methodologies in bureaucracy. Long-pending land disputes resolved speedily through reconciliatory measures, adopting revenue-court system. Active participation in literacy, globalization of education, women-farmers-consumer movements, water conservation, movements against corruption and superstitions. Implemented a special program for neo-literates so they do not re-lapse into illiteracy and was appreciated as a 'model scheme', by the National Literacy Mission.

==Aftermath of administrative career==

After resigning from IAS in 1996, he founded Chanakya Mandal Pariwar, a network organization working in the field of Career Guidance, Competitive Exam ([[Civil Services Examination]]) Training, Entrepreneurship Building and Personality Development. It was the disappointment he felt for being the only one from Maharashtra to get selected for the Civil Services in 1986, along with rampant corruption and apathy among the civil servants towards issues of the common man that led him to found the CMP in 1996, with a motive to send honest and efficient cadres to the services and contribute in the nation building in his own way.{{Citation needed|date=September 2020|reason=Your explanation here}}

On 31 December 2014, the [[14th Dalai Lama]] inaugurated a new 'Vastu' of Chanakya Mandal Pariwar and lauded Avinash Dharmadhikari's commitment to serve nation through youth education.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tibetanreview.net/dalai-lama-inaugurates-educational-charity-building-in-pune/|title=Dalai Lama inaugurates educational charity building in Pune|date=2 January 2015|work=[[Tibetan Review]]|accessdate=15 March 2016}}</ref>

Working as the Director General of Neharu Yuva Kendra Sangathan in 2001 under Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India, he initiated some major programs to encourage youths to join sports.
He was a Shiv Sena member between March 2009 and April 2011.<ref name="DailyNewsAndAnalysis-20110412">{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-avinash-dharmadhikari-quits-shiv-sena-1530984|title=Avinash Dharmadhikari quits Shiv Sena|date=12 April 2011|work=Daily News and Analysis|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref>

In November 2012 he joined [[Team Anna]] that led a revolutionary India Against Corruption movement against the then UPA-II government and proposed [[Jan Lokpal Bill]] along with former IPS [[Kiran Bedi]], Justice (Rtd) [[Santosh Hegde]], Activist [[Medha Patkar]], former Army Chief Gen [[Vijay Kumar Singh]], former DGP(Punjab) Shashikant, Lt Col Brijendra Khokhar, Akhil Gogoi, Sunita Godara, Arvind Gaur, Rakesh Rafiq when [[Arvind Kejriwal]], [[Yogendra Yadav]] and some other members separated from [[Anna Hazare]] to form a political party.<ref name="NDTV-20121112">{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/team-anna-2-0-announced-will-tour-country-from-january-30-504297|title= Team Anna 2.0 announced, will tour country from January 30|last=Mukherjee|first=Ashish|date=12 November 2012|publisher=[[NDTV]]|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dharmadhikari, Avinash}}
[[Category:Indian Administrative Service officers]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Avinash Dharmadhikari - Revision history

Delinker at 13:51, 31 July 2023